CES 2026 has just provided a first glimpse of the folding display technology that Apple is expected to use in its upcoming foldable iPhone. At the event, Samsung Display briefly showcased its new crease-less foldable OLED panel beside a Galaxy Z Fold 7, and according to SamMobile, which saw the test booth before it was abruptly removed, the new panel "has no crease at all" in comparison.
The existing display used in the Galaxy Z Fold 7 does an impressive job of reducing crease visibility, but crucially it can still be seen at certain viewing angles. In contrast, Samsung Display claims that the newer panel, rumored to be for the upcoming Z Fold 8, offers "seamless text across the fold" whichever way you look at it – which is good news for Apple, given that Samsung is the company's main supplier of OLED technology.
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in July that Samsung's next-generation Galaxy Z Fold 8 will use the same laser-drilled metal display plate as the foldable iPhone, with the component to be supplied by South Korean company Fine M-Tec. The laser-drilled metal plate is responsible for dispersing the stress generated by bending, allowing for the "crease-free" screen. It's worth noting that the panel structure, lamination method, and material process used for the foldable iPhone is said to have been designed by Apple, so we should still expect differences compared to the Z Fold 8's display that was on show here.
The same goes for the dimensions of the display that Apple uses. Samsung's existing Galaxy Z Fold 7 display is 6.5 inches when closed, and 8 inches when open, with a 21:9 aspect ratio when folded and a 20:18 aspect ratio when open. In contrast, rumors suggest the iPhone Fold's display will measure in at 5.3 to 5.5 inches when closed, and 7.5 to 7.8 inches when open (rumors vary). That will make it squatter and wider than Samsung's taller, narrower design, giving it a 4:3 aspect ratio when open.
Samsung gave no reason for removing the test booth so early on at CES. Regardless, Apple's stricter crease-free requirements for its foldable iPhone appear to have raised the bar for both foldable devices. Whether those advances also translate into improved long-term durability should become clearer in the coming months. The Galaxy Z Fold 8 is widely expected to launch this summer, while Apple's foldable iPhone is expected to enter mass production this year and launch later, around mid-September.
Update: Samsung reached out to MacRumors after publication of this article to clarify that the crease-less foldable OLED panel showcased at CES 2026 was presented strictly as an R&D concept. Samsung has not stated, nor indicated, that this panel will be applied to a future Galaxy Z Fold product, including the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Samsung's representative also said that the booth setup's removal happened to coincide with the timing of a particular media tour, and had been shown to multiple groups throughout the day.
